LYNDHURST, Ohio -- Plans are in the works to install additional safety lighting at Bolton Park, thanks to a cooperative effort between the South Euclid-Lyndhurst City Schools and The Illuminating Company.

Lyndhurst Ward 2 Councilman Joe Gambatese said Monday that he has received numerous complaints from residents regarding "late-night activities" going on in the park that was created after Bolton School was razed several years ago.

"Residents have called indicating they often do not feel comfortable walking through the park, especially when it gets dark," Gambatese said at City Council's Oct. 21 meeting.

Roughly a dozen surrounding residents from Gordon, Blanchester, Haverston and Rae roads attended a meeting last weekend at the Tasty Pizza Shop to discuss the situation.

Gambatese said he has been working with Lyndhurst Police Chief Rick Porello and SEL School District Business Affairs Director Dana Stearns to develop a solution that addresses these concerns.

Plans at this point call for the placement of flood lights near both the north and south parking lots of the park, which includes two baseball fields, a soccer field and a playground.

Gambatese noted that the lighting would not shine directly into residents' homes or back yards and under the current proposal won't cost the city anything.

Officials with The Illuminating Company have mentioned the possibility of installing the poles and lights at no charge, so that the school district would only have to pay a monthly electric fee from that point on.

Stearns said Tuesday that he and SEL Schools Superintendent Linda Reid conferred with Gambatese recently, then visited the park and decided that the ideal approach would be through First Energy's Leased Lighting Program.

"This is not going to happen overnight, but there's a process that we've begun," Gambatese said Monday, noting that he's been working on this project for about three years now.

In addition to the "activities" being conducted by youth in the park, residents have also complained about the litter that is evidently left behind, since it is not there before the sun goes down.

"This should shed some light on the situation -- especially on the parking spaces," Gambatese said.

Chief Porrello noted that calls about the park have been spread out, the most recent being two weeks ago when two juveniles were busted smoking marijuana.

"They were just sitting back there, in the dark," Porrello said, looking over recent crime reports.

Over the summer there was a report of more youths congregating in the back lot, with a similar police call last December.

"The park definitely needs lighting, which is such a basic deterrent to the gamut of criminal activity," Porrello said Tuesday. "So I'm glad to see them putting some up."

Although it is primarily a home ward issue, Councilman-at-Large Charles Lopresti asked Monday that he and fellow at-large councilmen Joseph Marko and Keith Packard be kept apprised of any future discussions, since they represent all city residents.

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